Q: Congratulations on THE TAKE! What inspired the novel, and what do you most hope that readers take away from reading?

Thank you! I’ve wanted to write a novel about aging for some time because I’ve had a very unconventional experience with aging, having gone to college at an early age. I hope readers take away that they are never too young or too old to do what they want to do! 

Q: What was the experience like pivoting from children’s literature to YA literature, and now to adult literature with THE TAKE?

It’s been a wild ride! Writing for every age group has its unique set of rewards and challenges! I love that with adult literature I get to write messy, complex characters who make questionable decisions. I’m finding that to be so much fun! 

Q: You’ve written a compelling tale about two complex, nuanced female characters. Were there any surprises that you ran into in the writing process as you were getting to know these characters? 

Yes! The biggest surprise was how much sympathy I had for Ingrid. I didn’t intend for that to happen. I wrote her as satire, but I found myself at various points really relating to her and having an incredible amount of empathy for what she’s going through and going up against! It’s not easy to be one of the only top female producers in a studio!

Q: How did your time at Harvard Law School and in the professional world prepare you for what you now do as a novelist? 

My time at Harvard Law School and in the professional world prepared me in the sense that I know who I am. I know what it is I have to do. Being a novelist is about putting in the work. It’s about showing up, every day, even when it’s hard. Even when the writing’s not working. Even when it’s 4am and you’re exhausted, but you still have to get on that flight to go to the next city on tour. It’s diligence, relentless and dedication. And being kind to people!

Q: What has been your experience with the publishing process? How did you first get your agent? How long does it take to get from a manuscript to a finished copy on shelves?

Like all authors, I’ve had my share of ups and downs in the publishing industry. I’ve been orphaned by editors mid-revision. I once had both my publisher and my editor leave to start a new publishing house! I’ve seen it all! I got my first agent by cold emailing agents. I didn’t know anyone in publishing or agenting, but I just kept trying. As with everything in life, if you try hard enough, you’ll push through. It generally takes two years for a manuscript to hit shelves!

Q: What is your writing process like? Do you outline? Are there any writing rituals you follow?

My writing process is this: I wake up, drop off my kids at school, then my butt’s in my chair. I write as much as I can for the entire morning, then break for lunch. Then I’m back at my desk writing until the first kid comes home from school and demands I become their Uber driver. I do outline and I’m a firm believer in outlining, but I have a podcast with my good friend Kate DiCamillo who does not believe in outlining and we’re always chatting about our very different processes. There is no “right” way to write – do whatever works for you!

Q: Which craft books do you recommend for those looking to write a full-length novel?

SAVE THE CAT and ON WRITING by Stephen King.

Q: How do you deal with writer’s block, if you believe in that? Were there any places in your most recent novel that you got stumped on something? 

I don’t believe in writer’s block. I believe in writer’s bored, as in you’ve written the story into a corner and now you’re bored. Sometimes that happens when you’ve overplanned. So then I try to go back to the last part in the story where things were still exciting and fresh to me, and start from there again, and let myself go where the story needs to, even if that means deviating from my plan!

Q: What advice do you have for those who have an idea for a novel but are too intimidated to sit down and write? 

Just do it! Don’t worry about what anyone else thinks or says, if you have a story in you – go write it! The world is waiting!